


When Do Frogs Sing?

by Mariana_Monteverde



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Voldemort, Bonding, Deaf Character, F/M, Frog Choir, Hogwarts Frog Choir, POV Seamus Finnigan, Selective Magical Hearing Loss, Sensorineural Hearing Loss, hearing impairment, hearing loss, magical bonding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-26
Updated: 2020-10-26
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:48:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27208405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mariana_Monteverde/pseuds/Mariana_Monteverde
Summary: Seamus Finnigan has a hearing impairment and a lifelong dream to hear the Frog Choir sing, just once.Millicent Bulstrode finds a spell that can help them, but not in the way they first thought.
Relationships: Millicent Bulstrode & Seamus Finnigan, Millicent Bulstrode/Seamus Finnigan
Comments: 6
Kudos: 11
Collections: Expecto Patronum Fest 2020





	1. The Halloween Fest

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! Thank you to the hosts for such a beautiful and inspiring fest.  
> How such a simple prompt turned into a plot so fast, I don't know but it did 🤦
> 
> It was never my intention that it would seem that I was minimizing hearing loss, the Sensorineural Hearing Loss experience was based on a friend who acquired it as a child after an infection. 
> 
> But I wanted to include something more magical, and I came out with Selective Magical Hearing Loss ❤️
> 
> I hope you enjoy it ❤️

Seamus sighed when he woke up in the morning of October 31st, 1997, it was Halloween. And Halloween meant there would be a Fest later and that the Frog Choir would sing. And, he would not be able to hear it. _Again._

Seamus had what could be called sensorineural hearing loss, it had been diagnosed by a muggle doctor in his infancy when he was five. And with his cochlear implants and language therapies, he had been able to go to muggle school and learn and have good grades. It was almost a normal life. There were still moments where it was more difficult to hear, football games were a nightmare, but his father loved them so much. And the tinnitus was not properly welcomed, but he had learned to live with them.

Until he came to Hogwarts. He did not think it would be any different from a muggle school. But he had had big difficulties at History of Magic because he could not hear the ghost. But thankfully his mates would lend him notes and it seemed hearing the professor was even more boring than not being able to hear him. He thought that not being able to hear Mandrake's cry was also a positive thing. Selective Magical Hearing Loss. Madam Pomfrey had diagnosed him in his first year.

Now, it was his seventh year at Hogwarts, his last year, unless he failed his exams, and that would not happen, because he was a reasonable student and Hermione Granger did not mind sharing her notes with him. And his mother would absolutely kill him, so he would not return either way.

But he still could not shake the sad feeling. The frog choir had always interested him. When he first got his letter and mother took him to Diagon Alley. He had wanted a toad as a pet, a familiar. But Saoirse Finnigan had explained how a cat would be a smarter choice because it was more independent than a toad. 

Don’t get him wrong, he loved Nero, but he had always felt jealous of Neville and Trevor. Now Trevor was gone, he had joined the other toads in the lake and Seamus missed seeing the little fellow jumping around the dorm room. One thing Seamus had realized was that most of the frogs or toads would prefer to live by the lake than be with their wizards or witches. Only those students who were in the frog choir were able to convince their frogs to stay and sing.

Seamus was still sulking on the bed when Dean pushed the curtain aside. “Mate, you’re going to be late!” 

“Sorry! I will meet you all in the Great Hall.” He said getting up.

But, of course, he did not go to the Great Hall, he could not even look at the Great Hall that day. Not during the morning, the afternoon or even less during the Feast. 

Ron, Harry, Neville, and Dean were so excited for the Halloween Feast. And Seamus watched them from his bed, Charms book open on his lap, but he had not been able to read a page since classes finished. Well, if he was being honest, he had not been able to pay attention all day.

“Are you sure you don’t want to come?” Ron asked.

Seamus shook his head. “Thanks. I will just go to bed earlier tonight.”

“We will bring you a slice of pumpkin pie.” Neville offered with a smile. Although the other Gryffindor did not understand, he knew about his old desire to listen to the Frog Choir.

“That would be great! Thanks.” 

And once they left, Seamus sighed, lying down on his bed, and covering his face with his hands. Why? Why couldn’t he just go, and eat great food with his friends? Everyone loved the Halloween Feast. 

He decided to take a stroll, maybe even go to the kitchens, and ask the elves for some food. The Irish hoped they would not be too annoyed and have pity on him instead of kicking his ass out of the kitchens. It was hard for him to have a conversation with the elves since he could not hear their responses.

Seamus was lost in his thoughts, he did not even notice that he had taken the wrong staircase and was not walking in the kitchens and Hufflepuff common room direction, but potions classroom and Slytherin. He only stopped walking when he heard someone. _Was it a whimpering? Was someone crying?_

He followed the sound until he found a hidden alcove. Casting a quick Lumos he peeked inside, and inside there was a girl. A Slytherin he knew quite well, had he not shared classes with her for 7 years. “Bulstrode?”

Millicent turned to look at him. “What do you want, Finnigan?” she asked. And although he could not see it, he was sure there were tears on her cheeks.

“I… I… Weren’t you supposed to be upstairs, for the performance of the Frog Choir?” he asked confused. Millicent Bulstrode had been a member of the singing group since their first year in the Castle.

She laughed, but it was harsh to his ears. And he could almost identify the pain and sorrow and lack of amusement. “You prick, Goliath died during the summer…”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize…” Seamus sighed. He was so stupid sometimes. “I should go.” 

The Gryffindor turned to leave when Millie spoke again. “I could not even stand the thought of listening to the choir and the other frogs without feeling the unfairness of it all.” She spoke.

“I can imagine… losing a familiar like that,” Seamus said, leaning against the entrance of the alcove. “How long has he been with you?”

“I got Goliath before coming to Hogwarts, on a trip to Diagon Alley with my father… It was love at first song.” She said sliding down to the floor.

Seamus did the same, on the opposite wall, with his hands on the floor beside his torso, his pinkie finger was only a few millimetres away from her shoes. Her shoes that were not the usual school shoes, but some Vans’ Checkerboard Classic Slip-On.

How did Bulstrode have Vans’ trainers? Seamus asked himself. He must have been staring and the question present on his face because she answered it. “My mother bought them for me. They’re sweet aren’t them?”

“They’re… very muggle…” He confessed.

“Well, my mother is a muggle-born, so not really that shocking.” 

“Wait… so you’re half-blood as well… I mean, just forget that. Your mother is a witch, and my father is a muggle. It’s different” He said, doing a dismissive hand gesture.

Millie rolled her eyes “I guess, but we both have 2 muggle grandparents, that does not change.” 

Seamus eyes just widen. _What was the Slytherin saying?_ “I… I guess” he stuttered. “I had planned to go ask the elves for some food… want to come? Unless you already had dinner in the Great Hall?”

She shook her head. “I did everything I could to stay away from the Great Hall and Professor Flitwick today, I even told Daphne to say I was sick at charms… and went to Pomfrey for some pepper-up.” she explained, “And I know why you’re not there as well…”

Seamus laughed “You absolutely don’t.”

“Yeah, I do… I will tell you over some mushroom pasta.” She winked, getting up and leading the way to the kitchen through a secret passage. _Of course, Slytherins had their own way into the kitchens_. Seamus should have guessed that, but it was like Millicent Bulstrode actions were stupefying him, over and over again.

When they arrived at the kitchen, Millie led them to a table and just waited until a little elf appeared. Seamus had no idea what the elf was saying, so when the creature turned his big eyes to him, he panicked.

“I’ll have the same?” Seamus murmured, and the elf looked at him confused.

“Thank you, Robbey,” Millicent said, dismissing the elf with a smile.

“What did he ask?” The Gryffindor sighed.

“If you would prefer to take your food to your room. Because you seemed uncomfortable.” She explained. “You can’t hear them… I thought it was just the frogs in the choir.”

“I can’t hear any magical being, beast or plant… Wait? How do you know I could not hear the Frog Choir songs?” Seamus's blue eyes blew wide. 

Millicent smiled, but it was not a happy smile, it was more of a knowing smile. “You used to try to move your head along with the song or stop your feet with the rhythm or even clap your hands… but it was always out of tempo” She explained. “You used to sit closer to the stage… the last time I saw you attend one of the concerts you were on the very back.” 

Seamus smiled sadly. “During the first few years, I thought the closest to the stage the higher the chances that by some blessing I would be able to hear… even if it was barely a whisper…”

“And then you stopped believing…” She completed.

“In the summer before my sixth year, my mother took me to a specialized healer in magical hearing. He said it would be almost impossible for me to ever listen to a magical creature.” He explained. He had never told anyone that before, not Dean, his best mate, not any of the other boys.

“That must have been… I don’t really know what to say…” Millicent sighed as two bowls of pumpkin soup appeared in front of them. “I’m sorry they just took that away from you, the hope…”

Seamus had never thought the Slytherin girl in front of him could show that kind of emotion. He had caught her crying and even though he had seen her tears, she still could feel empathy for him. He touched her wrist across the table as she moved to get one of the bowls. A silent thanks.

“Did they ever found out why you can’t hear magical creatures?” she asked.

Seamus looked at Millicent, not really sure if he should trust her with that secret. He analysed the Slytherin girl for a couple of minutes and ended up telling her. One of his deepest secrets. _The wizard was telling her a huge bunch of those that night_. “It seems my hearing loss was caused by my mother trying to contain my magic when I was a child. I don’t speak about it that much because she’s still so ashamed... I’m not sure if she will ever forgive herself.” He confessed, looking down.

“Have you forgiven her?”

“Of course, she’s my mother. It was not done on purpose… It was an impulsive reckless decision, but she did not want to hurt me. I have forgiven her.”

They ended up talking about the frog choir and her toad, Goliath, who was called like that because he was giant. Millie told him stories about how the toad would scare the other pets on the Slytherin common room. Seamus had not even realized how hungry he was until the meal was over, and he was full. “Did you not like the pumpkin pie?” He asked, watching her play around her slice with a fork, but not really eating.

“It’s great. I love it.” Millie said, smiling at him and eating a bit.

“If it’s because… you look beautiful!” Seamus said, embarrassed. What he wanted to say was that she should not be worried about her body even if she seemed curvier than other girls, she was beautiful and sumptuous. Even on her Vans trainers. 

Millicent raised an eyebrow at his dull affirmation. “Thank you?” she asked. “But no, no, I actually feel like talking about Goliath and my days in the Frog Choir with you was featherbrained of me.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because I can see your eyes how you wish, how you dream to hear it. And how that dream was broken, and I’m here, talking about my experience. Like rubbing salt in a wound.” And then Millicent apologized, pushing her plate away.

Seamus shook his head “And I that was just a few seconds away to thank you… for telling me all your stories.”

“Are you sure that you’re not saying that just so I don’t feel guilty?” She asked with a smile.

“A mix of those two, and to see you smile as well,” Seamus confessed, and he wondered if the house-elf had slipped some veritaserum on his drink.

And Millie smiled, shaking her head. “Thank you for keeping me company today, Finnigan.”

“It was my pleasure. Maybe if next time there’s a concert you don’t feel like attending, we can do it again?” He asked.

“See you around, Finnigan!” Millicent just got to her feet and left the kitchens. Bloody Gryffindor, what had just happened? Did he try to ask the Slytherin on a date? Seamus was a Gryffindor, _but even daring Gryffindors would not do something like that._ Did he have a death wish? Or a humiliation one?


	2. The Last Fest before Christmas

Seamus did not really speak with Millicent Bulstrode after Halloween. Well, he saw her in the Hallways and in Classes and in the Great Hall and in Hogsmeade, but it seemed like that conversation between them never happened. And Seamus felt saddened about that. _He felt used_ . Maybe he should not have expected something else about a Slytherin. _Narcissistic little snakes._

That was until a few days before the Christmas Holidays started and he received a letter.

**_Finnigan,_ **

**_I know you have stayed away from all the big fests._ **

**_But I truly believe you should come to the one on Friday._ **

**_Meet me there. Half an hour before it starts!_ **

**_Do not be late!_ **

**_M. Bulstrode_ **

Seamus thought about not going. She had not even spoken to him for more than a month and now she wanted to meet. _How daring for a Slytherin_. But Seamus was curious, and he wanted to know why Millicent wanted to meet him.

So, he met her in the Great Hall, half an hour before a Feast that he truly did not want to attend. She was there in her Slytherin robes and she had a frog on her shoulder this time. “Hi, Finnigan, this is David!” She said stroking the amphibian.

“Because he’s much smaller than Goliath?” he asked.

“Aren’t you a smart Gryffindork after all?” Millie winked.

“I still do not understand… I thought you said you would not want to get another pet?” 

“I didn’t… I did it for you.” She explained with a grin.

“For me?” Seamus had never been more confused in his life. _Never_.

Millie nodded and took his hand. “C’mon, Professor Flitwick is waiting for us.” And she took him by the hand to an adjacent chamber filled with portraits.

“Professor Flitwick?”

“Yes, Flitwick, your charms professors? of the last seven years? Don’t you remember him?” She asked, rolling her eyes “He’s also the conductor, the maestro of the Frog Choir.” Millicent explained like he was a child and murmuring something about Gryffindors.

“Stop, Bulstrode...”

“Millie!” She suddenly roared, turning around to look at him.

“What?” Seamus asked, looking at her like she was not even a witch _. Like she was someone she had never seen before._

“I’m doing something that will mean quite a lot for you, so you better start calling me Millie or Millicent.” She explained, and he could read in her voice how important it was for her, how she was dealing with trust and it was not easy for her.

“What? What are you planning to do?” Seamus asked, holding her wrists to stop her from moving forward. “Millie?” That got her attention and she stopped, dark brown eyes finding his. “Now, can you please tell me why you brought me to Professor Flitwick and why you got a new frog?”

“Can I tell him, Professor? Millicent asked the charms master, but her eyes were still on him.

“Yes, Miss Bulstrode, it was your idea after all.” Flitwick was watching them from one armchair, reading what seemed like a charm’s notebook.

“When we join the Frog Choir, Professor Flitwick bonds the student and the frog, so we are in sync…” Millie explained, a huge smirk on her face like she was 10 steps ahead of him. 

“And what has that to do with me, Millie?” He asked.

“It is an experiment… it might not work… But I studied the charms for one month and I’m certain it will be effective.” Seamus could see the excitement on her voice, on her eyes, on her smile, on the way her hair seemed to have an energy of its own.

“So, I’m your guinea pig?” He asked, a smirk playing on his lips. _That did not sound like such a terrifying idea after all._

“I’ll take that as a yes! That you consent to the charm? Yes?” she asked as she placed David on his hands, and Seamus stroked the frog’s feet with his thumb.

“I’ll supervise, Miss Bulstrode. I think you should cast the spell.” Flitwick said.

“Professor?” Millicent cried in surprise. “No… this is too important!”

“I must insist, Mrs Bulstrode, you have been excelling on charms. I don’t doubt your ability to cast such a spell” Flitwick said with a grin. “I’ll be here to serve with assistance if needed.”

Millicent nodded, taking a deep breath, and smiling at Seamus like he had never seen or imagined she could smile. Anticipation, but excitement at the same time. She raised her wand, making a circular motion “Vinculum Anura” and then another “Vinculum Anura” and one more “Vinculum Anura.” 

“Is it done?” Seamus asked and saw Millicent nod her head, brown eyes looking at him, waiting for a reaction. “I’m sorry, I don’t hear anything different… maybe it didn’t work because of my hearing impairment… you can’t cure something that was caused by magic with magic, right?” The Gryffindor kissed David’s head before placing it back on Millicent's shoulder. “Thank you!” And with those words, he left the little chamber.

He rushed through the students that were entering the Hall and ran outside. Ignoring his friends and not even stopping to apologize. Seamus needed to get out. He should not have got his hopes up, but he had thought that maybe, maybe the spell would work.

He felt the cold night air and the freezing snow falling over of him, and he wanted to cry and scream and say how unfair life was. And then he heard something. At first, it was just a rattle, but it was so melodically, and then it was like it changed, like a second sound was added, closer to a chirp. And he could swear he heard a croak. And he knew the animal who croaked.

Seamus rushed back to the Great Hall, barging through the door, and getting closer to the risen platform where the Frog Choir was playing. He quickly found Millicent and David, and the grin that appeared on her face when her brown eyes found his blue ones, was pure happiness, maybe with a little pride. _Her spell had work after all._

And now that he was close, he could hear the frog singing much better, the different sounds, the different tones, the different rhythms. It was incredible. It was just one frog, he could only hear David, but it was astonishing, it was all he could have wanted.

He clapped for longer than all the other students, standing, full of joy. What a Christmas gift. And suddenly Millicent Bulstrode was in front of him, still the same cheerful expression on her face. “It seems it worked after all…”

Seamus nodded, wrapping his arms around her, and pulling her for a tight hug, “Thank you! Thank you so much!”

“Don’t thank me yet, when David wakes you up during the middle of the night because of the bond, we shall talk!” She chuckled.

“So… When do frogs sing?” Seamus asked with a smirk, stroking David’s jaw with his thumb.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it ❤️


End file.
